Russia will inform US about Russian operation against IS in Syria - deputy foreign minister

ST. PETERSBURG, October 1. /TASS/. Russia will inform the United States about the operation against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization in Syria, Deputy Foreign Minister SergeyRyabkov told journalists in St. Petersburg on Thursday. "We will inform interested parties, including the United States, about our actions in the framework of air operation in the fight against the Islamic State," Ryabkov said. He added that US did not send any signals about their desire to join the information center in Baghdad set up by Russia, Syria, Iraq and Iran and tasked with collecting and analyzing intelligence data about IS activities. "US did not send any signals. We do not insist on this," Rybakov noted. The deputy foreign minister stressed that Moscow did not send any negative signals about US’ presence in the Syrian airspace. "I will not agree that we sent any negative signals or anything like that to the United States," he noted, commenting on Russia’s recommendation for the US to temporarily refrain from flights over Syria. "We sent a recommendation to American colleagues, and they have the right to follow it or not," Ryabkov added. Statements on this issue were repeatedly made by Russia’s Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry. "Other statements on this topic will possibly follow later today in New York," Ryabkov said. He added that the word "demarche" often used in media reports in connection with the Russian recommendation "does not have this negative connotation assigned to this term in everyday life." "In diplomacy, the word ‘demarche’ does not have a negative connotation. Demarche means a gesture for diplomats, any signal that communicates something serious to another part. It can be a positive signal," Ryabkov explained. On Thursday, Russian Federation Council unanimously granted permission to the Russian president to use the nation’s military force in Syria. "The Federation Council unanimously supported the president’s request - 162 votes in favor [of granting permission]," Kremlin chief of staff Sergey Ivanov said. Russia will use only its Air Force in Syria IS upon the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Ivanov said, stressing that no ground troops will be sent. Russian Air Force already delivered airstrikes at eight IS positions in Syria, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said adding that some 20 sorties were made. He stressed that all strikes were made after air reconnaissance and update of data obtained from the Syrian army headquarters. Aircraft armaments were not used to hit civil infrastructure facilities or areas near them. Read more